I have a small confession to make; although I profess the many attributes of the SUP I had never taken one on the ocean . . . . until Sunday. I’ve paddled quite a bit on the sound, even on windy days, and feel very comfortable, but going on the ocean definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. The early morning wind was light NE around 8 mph which was just enough to keep the board tippy. After 20’ I was exhausted and bonking (should have eaten breakfast) whereupon I finally lost my balance and took an unplanned dip. Talking to a more experienced paddler later in the day he informed me the ocean forces you to expend much more energy than paddling on the sound. Now I can vouch for that.
There wasn’t any wave action which was fine with me because I just wanted to get a little experience, but I did see a bit more swell when I went out on Monday morning at mp 15 in Nags Head. I discovered on Monday that I have a tendency to look at the nose of the board when I feel my balance wavering. Note to self: keep your eyes up. By looking at the board you’re not anticipating the swells but reacting to the board.
With my improved confidence I tried catching a wave or two. There wasn’t a strong shore break but the waves were definitely going all the way to the shore which made me tentative in getting close with an eleven foot board. If I’d had the energy and the time I probably could have gotten something but it wasn’t to be, maybe next time.
